Surface operated flowing means for wells



April 25, 1944. R. G. TAYLOR. JR

SURFACE OPERATED FLOWING MEANS FOR WELLS Filed April 2, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR A TTOPNFV April 25, 1944. R. G. TAYLOR, JR 2,347,620

SURFACE OPERATED FLOWING MEANS FOR WELLS Filed April 2, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Apr'. 25, 1944 SURFACE OPERATED FLOWING IVIEANS FOR WELLS Raymond G. Taylor, Jr., Dallas, Tex., assigner to The Guiberson Corporation, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Delaware Application April 2, 1941, Serial No. 385,466

(Cl. 10B-'234) 19 Claims.

The object of this invention is to provide means controlled from the surface of the ground at the top of a well for opening or closing a passageway leading from a compressed air chamber into the flow line whereby the oil in the flow line may be aerated and lifted to the surface. The invention will also be applicable to the mechanism whereby the compressed air may be introduced into the tubing and the oil lifted to the surface from the casing. Ordinarily, however, the compressed air would be introduced into the casing and the oil in the tubing would be lifted to the surface and ejected.

More specifically the invention relates to a control mechanism whereby a valve may be inserted into or removed from the flow line and which valve is differentially operated by fluid pressure, the fluid pressure being controlled by means above the ground. In my preferred construction I have a pressure chamber for compressed gas, which pressure chamber is between the casing and the ow line, and within the flow line is a small pipe commonly known in the trade as macaroni tubing, which macaroni tubing carries a valve mechanism. I provide means to control the gas pressure in the macaroni tubing and provide a valve in the housing carried by the macaroni tubing which valve is subjected to the gas pressures in the macaroni tubing and the gas pressures in the casing so that the said valve may be opened when the pressures in the macaroni tubing are less than the pressures in the casing and which valve will be closed when these pressures are equal or if the pressures in the macaroni tubing exceed the pressures in the casing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve mechanism which may be easily inserted in or removed from the flow line.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means to properly position the valve housing in regard to a port leading from the casing into the tubing and to lock the same in said position.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel packing means for the valve housing, the said packing means being positioned between the said valve housing and a sleeve carried by the flow line.

Another object of the invention is to provide, if desired, a series of sleeves inthe flow line at spaced vertical distances and to provide a single macaroni tubing carrying a valve mechanism which may be moved into any one of said sleeves and locked therein and a valve means carried by each of said sleeves which will automatically be opened when the said mechanism is positioned in its sleeve and will be closed when said mechanism is moved out of said sleeve.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the detailed specification and claims which follow.

In the drawings in which I have shown the preferred construction of my invention by Away of illustration and with the full realization that many changes might be made in the specific construction therein shown without departing from the spirit of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a vertical elevational view partly in cross-section of a fragment of the well casing, now line and the mechanism forming the subject-matter of this invention positioned in the flow line,

Fig. 2 is a similar view of an alternative construction,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view principally in crosssection of an alternative valve arrangement,

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional elevational view of the valve housing mechanism shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is an elevational view principally in cross-section of one of the valve mechanisms shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view partly in cross section of one form of surface controlled mechanism with its connections to the macaroni tubing and casing,

Fig. '7 is a View similar to Fig. 6 but of an alternative form of surface controlling means, and

Fig. 8 is a cross-section view of the pipe Il] and the knob i8 showing gas passage flutes IBI in the knob I8.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the casing l is capped at its top by a closure 2 through which extends the conventional flow line 3, the flow line extending to near the bottom of the Well and being provided at its lower end with the valve 4 which will permit the oil from the producing formation to flow into the flow line but will prevent the oil in the flow line from flowing downwardly by said valve and back into the formation. If desired, a packer 5 may be positioned between the now line and the casing and preferably near the lower end of the ow line. Fluid responsive flow valve 6 may be carried by the ow line, said flow valves serving the well known function of allowing the compressed gas in the compressed air chamber 'l to flow through said valves into the tubing when the head of oil in the tubing exerts a predetermined pressure on said valve. Inasmuch as the function of such valves is well understood in the art, further description is not considered to be necessary.

As shown in Fig. 1, the ilow line may be provided with a series of enlarged chambers 8 and 9. As best shown in Fig. 5, a short'pipe I0 passes through one wall of the chamber 8 and through a sleeve which extends vertically and which has a bore or vertically extending pasageway therethrough, which bore is somewhat smaller than the internal diameter of the ilow line 3. If desired, the sleeve I I may be supported by inwardly extending lugs I2 carried by the chamber 8 so as to securely position the sleeve in the said chamber. The pipe III is provided with an annular internal flange I3 forming a valve seat I4 and through which extends a valve stem I carrying a valve I3 adapted to seat against the valve seat I4 and to prevent the compressed gas passing from the chamber 'I into the sleeve II. The said valve is urged to its closed position by means of a spring I'I interposed between the said ilange I3 and a knob I8 carried by the valve stem I5 and which knob is semi-spherical on its end remote from the valve I6 and which semispherical end of the knob normally projects Within the sleeve I I. As will hereinafter be described, I provide a removable valve mechanism which may be lowered into the sleeve I I and which will be adapted to engage the semi-spherical end of the knob I3 and open the valve I6, but when the valve mechanism is removed from the sleeve II, the spring I'I will close the said valve I6.

Extending to the top of the well is a macaroni tubing 25. Macaroni tubing is generally known in the art as tubing having a diameter smaller than 11/2", but by macaroni tubing I simply mean a small pipe. The lower end of the macarom tubing is connected to a valve housing I9. 'I'his Valve housing is provided with a vertically extending passageway k2|), a horizontally extending bore 2| extending only a portion of the way through thev housing, a vertically extending passageway 22, an enlarged valve chamber 23, and below the valve chamber is provided with a vertically extending bore 24, all of said bores, chamber and passageway communicating withl each other except for a valve 25 which is positioned in the valve chamber 23. In practical manufacturing, of course, the valve housing would not be made in one piece, the upper end thereof having the connection with the macaroni tubing 2S and including -the passageway 20, bore 2| and passageway 22 might be made in one piece which would be secured to a pipe forming the valve chamber 23 and this pipe might be secured at its lower end to a plug 2'I through which the bore 24 extends.

In the bore 2| is a plunger 23 provided with a head 29 which serves the purpose of a piston. A spring 30 is positioned between the head 29 and a ilange 3| through which ange the plunger 28 extends. The outer end of the plunger is provided with a channel 32 adapted tc seat against the upper end 33 of the sleeve I I when the parts are in the position as shown in Fig. 5. 'A plug 34 forms a closure for the bore 2| at the end remote from the said rplunger. This plug 34 is provided so that the plunger may be inserted in the bore 2| and after being inserted the plug 34 may be screwed into the bore 2| so that the bore 2| now forms a, trap to prevent the compressed air passing laterally out of the housing I9.

The valve 25 is provided with upper and lower flanges` 35 and 36, respectively, which form substantially an air-tight engagement with the side walls of the valve chamber 23. The valve mechanism 25 is provided at its lower end with a valve 3'I adapted to be seated against a valve seat 38, which valve seat is at the upper end of the plug 2'I. When the valve 3'! is against its valve seat 38 no compressed gas can pass downwardly through the bore 24.

The Valve housing is provided with one or more downwardly extending packing cups 39 and if a plurality are employed, the same may be spaced by spacers 40. The lower end of the housing is likewise provided with one or more up-turned packing cups 4| which may be spaced apart the .same as are the cups 33. Since the packing cups 33 and 4I, as shown, extend vertically on the outside of the valve chamber 23, they, therefore, space the outside of this valve chamber from the inside of the sleeve thereby forming a chamber 42. A port 43 extends horizontally through the wall of the valve chamber 23 which port communicates with the said chamber 42 and with the lower portion of the valve chamber 23.

The operation of this valve mechanism is as follows. The macaroni tubing 26 may be lowered in the tubing 3 and compressed air may be introduced into the macaroni tubing. This compressed air would force the valve 3l against its valve seat 38 and would prevent a flow of compressed gas through the valve mechanism. This would result in a pressure in the bore 2| which would force the plunger 23 to its outer position, compressing the spring 3i) and positioning the outer end of the plunger in such a position that the channel 32 would be in position to engage the upper end 33 of the sleeve II when the Valve mechanism was lowered sufficiently for the said plunger to engage the said sleeve and when lowered to this position, the parts would be in the position shown in Fig. 5. It will be noted that the valve mechanism has engaged the semispherical end of the knob IB and has compressed the spring II and opened the valve I6 so that the compressed air from the chamber 'I can pass by the valve I6 into the chamber 42 and through the port 43 into the lower portion of the valve chamber 23, that is, that part thereof below the ilange 33. It" the pressure in the macaroni tubing 26 and the pressure in the chamber 'I were the same, the weight of the valve member 25 would cause the valve 3'! to remain on its seat 33 and no compressed air would pass from the chamber 'I through the bore 24 and outwardly into the enlarged chamber 3. However, if the pressure in the chamber 'I were increased, this increased pressure would be received by the flange 33 so that the valve member 25 would now become unbalanced and would move upwardly from its seat 38 so that the gas pressure from the chamber 'I would now pass by the valve I6, through the chamber 42, port 43, chamber 23, and bore 24 thereby aerating and lifting that part of the oil in the flow line above the valve mechanism. However, it would generally be preferable instead of increasing the pressure in the chamber 'I to decrease the pressure in the macaroni tubing 23 thereby relieving the pressure on the upper end of the valve member 25 so that the valve member opensand when open, that part of the oil in the tubing above the valve mechanism would be aerated as hereinbefore described. Either method would work, ybut I consider the latter method to be preferable because of the relatively small Vquantity of compressed air in the small macaroni tubing as compared with a large quantity thereof in the casing.

When I have lifted the oil above the enlarged chamber 8 I wish to lower the valve mechanism into the enlarged chamber 9. I do this by simply raising the macaroni tubing slightly so as to disengage the plunger 28 from the upper end 33 of the sleeve ll. If I now decrease the pressure in the macaroni tubing 26, the valve member 25 remains closed, the spring 30 will move the plunger 28 inwardly so that its outer end can pass downwardly through the sleeve Il. I now lower the valve mechanism and after it has passed beyond the sleeve l I, I increase the pressure in the macaroni tubing 26 so as to cause the plunger 28 to again be projected so that when it reaches the sleeve of the chamber 9, it will engage said sleeve and properly position the valve mechanism in the chamber 9. The

construction of the chamber 9 is identical with l that of the chamber' 8 and I would then operate the mechanism so as to lift the oil above the chamber 9 in identically the same manner as described in connection with the chamber 8.

In Fig. 5 the cup packers 39 and 4I are, of

in turn communicates with an enlarged bore forming a chamber 41 in which a valve member 48 is movable. The valve member 48 is provided with upper and lower flanges 49 and 50 which like the flanges 35 and 36 prevent the passage of compressed air upwardly or downwardly past said flanges. end forms a valve 5I adapted to be seated against a valve seat 52 at the upper end of the plug 45 and a passageway 53 extends vertically through the plug 45. This passageway 53 extends from The valve member 48 at its lower 1 the lower end of the chamber 41 through the lower end of the plug 45 and communicating with the space in the chamber 8 which corresponds to the chamber 8 of Fig. 5.

The sleeve Il' corresponding to the sleeve Il of Fig. 5 has near its lower end an inwardly extending flange forming a seat 54 to receive a ring 55 which ring is slidable on the outside of the valve housing 44. The plug 45 carries an outwardly projecting flange 55 which when the valve housing is elevated prevents the ring 55 from moving below the flange 56 or as otherwise expressed from dropping off of the valve housing. Above the ring 55 is a resilient packer ,51 which is an annular ring made of rubber,

duprene, neoprene or other resilient materiali Above the packer 5l is a spacer 59 which spacer is annular in plan view and I-shaped in vertical cross-sectional view as shown in Fig. 3, thereby providing a space 59 between the outer surface of the spacer 53 and the inner surface of the sleeve Il and forming a space between the inner portion of the spacer and the outer surface of the housing 44. This spacer is provided with ports 6I connecting the two spaces 59 and 60. The space 59 communicates with the pipe l0 which like the pipe l in Fig. 5 extends through the sleeve and the wall of the chamber and thereby communicates with the compressed air space l in the casing. Above the spacer 58 is an annular packer 62 which is the same form of packer as the packer 5l. The housing 44 carries an annular shoulder B3 which overlies the upper end of the packer 62.

The operation of the structure shown in Fig. 3 is very similar to the description heretofore given in connection with the valve mechanism shown in Fig. 5, the principal differences being the packing arrangement, and furthermore, the structure shown in Fig. 3 is not adapted to pass through successive sleeves as is the structure shown in Fig. 5. When the structure shown in Fig. .3 is employed there would be only one enlarged chamber 8 in the tubing and therefore only one sleeve Il. The valve housing would be lowered on the macaroni tubing 26 until the ring 55 engaged the shoulder 54 of the sleeve and upon further lowering the macaroni tubing the shoulder 63 would continued to move downwardly while the ring 52 is held against such movement thereby compressing the two packers 5l and 52 so as to effectively prevent compressed gas passing upwardly or downwardly by such packers. If we now reduce the pressure in the macaroni tubing 25 while the pressure in the chamber 1 in the casing remains constant so that the pressure acting on the upper surface of the valve member 48 is less than the pressure acting upwardly thereon, the valve member 148 would be elevated so that the valve 5l would be moved away from the valve seat 52 and thereupon compressed gas from the chamber 'l in the casing would pass through the pipe lil into the space 59 thence through the ports 6I and the space 60 and thence through the port 54 extending through the housing 44 and communieating with the space 49 and the portion of the chamber 41 below the flange 59 and thence through the lower portion of the chamber' 4l and through the passageway 53 so that this compressed gas now passes into the chamber B aerating and lifting the oil above said valve mechanism. When, however, we increase the pressure of the compressed gas in the macaroni tubing 26 the valve 5l would again be seated on its valve seat 52 thereby stopping the passage of the compressed gas from the chamber 1 in the casing into the chamber 8. After the head of oil in the tubing had again been built up to a point above the valve mechanism, the mechanism located above the ground, and which will hereinafter be described, would again be operated so as to decrease the pressure in the macaroni tubing and open the valve.

In Figs. 2 and 4 I show a modification of the structure heretofore described. The casing l and the conventional tubing 3 is employed as is the macaroni tubing 25. A single enlarged chamber 8 having a pipe I 9 leading into a sleeve Il are likewise employed, all of which structure is substantiallyv the same as the structure described in connection with Fig. l. The enlarged chamber 8" receives a connection 65 which is welded thereto at 6B and within the connection 55 is a member 6l having a passageway that communicates with the interior of the lower portion of the sleeve H and which passageway extends outwardly and downwardly through the connection 55 and communicates with a pipe 68 which extends to a connection 69 surrounding the tubing and which connection carries a chamber 1 surrounding the lower end of the tubing and provided at its lower end with a one-way valve 1| and strainer 12. 'I'he connection .169 is provided with a passageway 13 connecting the lower end of the pipe 68 with the interior of the chamber 10. A suitable packer 14 may be employed to seal the space between the connection 69 or the chamber 10 and the casing I. The tubing 3 is provided with a port 15 which port is positioned in that part of the tubing within the chamber 18 and just below the connection 69 which forms the upper closure member of the chamber 18. .The valve mechanism shown in Fig, 3 may be suitably employed in connection with the structure shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and when the macaroni tubing 26 is lowered so that the ring 55 engages the seat 16 at the upper end of the member 61, the packers will be compressed as heretofore described and the valve member 48 would be operated in precisely the same manner as heretofore described, with the exception that instead of the 'compressed gas passing downwardly from the passageway 53 directly into the tubing, it would pass downwardly through the member 61, pipe 68, passageway 13 into the chamber 1D and thence upwardly through the extreme lower end of the tubing, thereby elevating all of the oil in the tubing. The port 15 is provided so that the trapped gas in the chamber 18 above the lower end of the tubing may bleed through the said port.

lWhen a plurality of chambers such as 8 and 9 are employed, such as shown in Fig. 1, the valves I6 prevent any passage therethrough of the compressed air unless and until the valve mechanism is seated in its sleeve. In this construction the compressed air in the chamber 1 is, therefore, not wasted by flowing into the tubing when the removable valve mechanism is not in position. If desired, a valve similar to the valve I6 may be used in connection with the disclosure in the remaining views but when only one enlarged chamber is employed such as 8 in Fig. 3, the valve |6 is ordinarily not necessary for in Fig. 3 the removable valve mechanism would ordinarily be in its sleeve so that the gas would not be unnecessarily wasted.

Various forms of surface operated mechanism may be employed. In Fig. 6 I show one such form in which a compressed air supply pipe 11 is used. If desired, a valve 18 may be employed to cut off the supply of air and a pressure regulator 19 may also be employed. The pipe 11 is provided with a branch 89 leading to the casing and in this branch I provide Aa valve 8|. Connected to the pipe 11 is also al branch 82 leading to a three-way valve 83. This valve may be the well-known Fisher valve provided with a clock mechanism 84 which may be adjusted to intermittently operate a diaphragm mechanismv 85 to which is connected a valve stem 86 carrying a valve 81. The three-way valve member 83 is provided with a partition 88 having a central aperture through which the lvalve stem passes and forming a valve seat. Below the partition is a chamber 89 which when the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 6 communicates with the branch 82 as well as with a pipe 90 connected to the macaroni tubing 26. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 6 and if the valves 18 and 8| are open, the compressed air supplied through the pipe 11 will pass into the casing,

through the branch 88 as well as through; the branch 82 and thence through the chamber 89 and pipe 96 into the macaroni tubing. At suitable intervals the governing means 84, which .5 maybe a clock system, would control the operation of the diaphragm mechanism 85 and would cause the valve stem 86 to move downwardlyy so that the valve 81 seats on a valve seat 9| at the upper end of the branch 82 so that no more: l compressed air can be fed into the` pipe 99 and macaroni tubing 26. Thecompressed air in the macaroni tubing can now flow outwardly through the pipe 98, chamber 89, upwardly through the port in the partition 88 and thence through a pipe 92 having a back pressure regulator 93 there-- in and thence escaping into the atmosphere; This back pressure regulator may be ofany im proved type such as the Grove reducing regulator. The clock mechanism 84 may be-set togv- 20 ern the diaphragm so that it would beoperated every three minutes or every two days, depend'-` ing upon the wish of the operator, which natu'- rally would be dependent .upon what he knows of the well conditions. This clock mechanism .25 may. likewise be set so as to hold the valve member or 48 open for any given length of time dependent upon how long the operator thinks it would take to complete the lifting operationvor at least how long the operator thinks it wil1be necessary to introduce the compressed air into the tubing. If, for instance, the operator wishes to set the clock mechanism so as to maintain the valve stem in the position shown in Fig.v6 for any given length of time, the valve member 25 for instance would correspondingly remain in its lower position so that no compressed air is introduced from the casing into the tubing. If the operator wishes the compressed gas to pass at the end of this period of time from the casing o into the tubing for a given 4length'of time, he would set his clock mechanism accordinglyand the clock mechanism would control the diaphragm mechanism so that the valve stem 86 would be moved downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 6 so that the valve 81 would remain on its valve seat 8| for the said given period of time. The pressure in the macaroni tubing would there.- fore be reduced for that same period of time .by the compressed air therein flowing through the pipe `9|) and through the back pressure regulator 93 and outwardly through the tubing 92thereby decreasing the pressure on the upper end of the valve member 25 sothatthe said valve member would be elevated and the compressedgas would therefore pass from the chamber 1 inthe casing by the valve 31 and into the tubing, thereby aeratingr and lifting the oil therein so that it could be expelled through the pipe 94 leading from the upper end of the tubing to the oil storage tank, not shown.

In Fig. 7 I have shown an alternative .arrangement from that shown in Fig. 6. Gas would be supplied to the casing through a pipe 95 hav ing a pressure regulator 19 therein, which pipe communicates witha'branch 96 leading into the casing, which pipe 96 may be provided with a valve 8|. A branch 91 valso communicates with the pipe 95 and leads to the macaroni tubing 26. A valve 98 is interposed in the branch 91. 'A pipe 99 is connected to the macaroni tubing 26 and in this pipe is a valve |80 and a back pres? sure regulator 93. If the operator opens the valves 8| and 98, the compressed gas from the pipe 95 will be led through the branches 96 and 91 tov theA macaroni tubing and to the casing so "is open,

chamber therebetween, a valve chamber,

acuoso that the pressures on the upper and the lower ends of the valve, such as the valve member 25 in Fig. 5, would be equal and no compressed gas could pass from the chamber 'I into the tubing. If, however, the operator closed the valve 98 and opened the valve |00, the pressure in the macaroni tubing would be decreased and the valve member 25 in Fig. 5 or 48 in Fig. 3 would be ele- Vated so that gas would now pass from the chamber 1 into the tubing. The essential diiierence between the structure shown in Fig. 7 and that shown in Fig. 6 is that in Fig. 6 the mechanism is set so as to be automatically operated as desired, whereas, when the structure shown in Fig. 7 is employed, the operator would have to manually operate the proper valves. While I have not shown any specic mechanism for raising and elevating the macaroni tubing, it is believed that such elevating mechanism is so well known that it requires no description and it forms no part of this invention.

I realize that many changes may be made in the specic form of the invention as shown herein by way of illustration and I desire to claim the invention broadly except as I may limit myself in the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

l. In a gas lift mechanism for wells having a casing and a tubing with a compressed gas chamber therebetween, a differential pressure operated valve member to control the admission of compressed gas from the said chamber into the tubing, a passageway leading from one end of said valve member to the surface of the ground and having a variable gas pressure therein, and means to control the gas pressure in said passageway so as to control the opening or closing vof said valve member by the differentials in pressures in the passageway and in the chamber.

' 2. In a gas lift mechanism for wells having a lcompressed gas chamber, a valve chamber having va valve seat, a diierential pressure controlled valve slidable in the valvechamber to engage or disengage the valve seat, a iiow line, means on the valve to separate the upper and lower portions of the valve chamber, one end of the valve chamber on one side of said means being exposed to the pressures in the gas chamber and when the valve communicating with the ow line, a pipe leading to the top ofthe well and connected with the chamber on the other side of said means and vmeans to increase or decrease the gas pressure .in

said pipe to thereby close or open said valve, said valve being controlled by the differential 'between the pressures in the gas chamber and the.

pipe. Y

3. In a gas lift mechanism for wells having a casing and a flow line with a compressed gas chamber therebetween, a valve chamber, a differential pressure controlled valve slidable in 4said-valve chamber and dividing it into two sections, a compressed gas tubing leading into one of said sections of said valve chamber, the other section of the valve chamber being exposed to the compressed gases in the compressed gas chamber so that said valve may be actuated by the differentials of pressures in said compressed gas chamber and the tubing and means to increase the gas pressure in the tubing to close said valve and to decrease the gas pressure in the tubing below the pressure in the chamber to open said valve. Y

4. In a gas lift mechanism for wells having a casing and a flow line with a compressed gas ferential pressure controlled valve slidable in said valve chamber and dividing it into two sections, a compressed gas tubing leading into one of said sections of said valve chamber, the other section of the valve chamber being exposed to the compressed gases in the compressed gas chamber so that sai-:l valve may be actuated bythe differentials of pressures in said compressed gas chamber and the tubing, and means above the surface of the ground to control the pressures in the compressed gas chamber and means to decrease the pressure in the tubing below that in the chamber so that the gas pressure in the chamber will open said valve.

5. In a gas lift mechanism for wells having a casing and a flow line with a compressed gas chamber therebetween, a valve chamber, a differential pressure controlled valve slidable inV said valve chamber and dividing it into two sections, a compressed gas tubing leading into one of said sections of said valve chamber, means to govern the gas pressure in said tubing, the other section of the valve chamber being exposedto the compressed gases in the compressed gas chamber so that said valve may be actuated by the difieren-.- tials of pressures in said compressed gas chamber and the tubing, and means above the surface of the ground to reduce the pressure inthe tubing below the pressure in the gas chamber so that the pressure inthe gas chamber will open the valve and admit the gas from the compressed gas chamber into the oil in the now line.

6. In a well having a ow line, a valve chamber, a valve member slidable therein, means carried by said valve member dividing said chamber into two sections, a compressed gas chamber communicating with one of said sections, a passageway from the last-named section leading into said flow line, a valve forming a part of said valve member and adapted to open or close said passageway, a compressed gas tubing extending from the surface of the ground to the other of said sections and means whereby the pressure of compressed gas in the tubing may be varied, the compressed gas in the gas chamber serving as a means to open said valve when the pressure in the tubing is below that in the gas chamber and the compressed gas in the tubing serving as a means to close the valve when the pressure in the tubing exceeds that in the gas chamber.

7. In a well having a flow line, a compressed gas chamber, a valve chamber, a differential pressure controlled valve slidable in the valve chamber, a passageway from the compressed gas 'chamber through a portion of the valve chamber and leading into the flow line, a tubing leading from the surface of the ground to said valve chamber, means to introduce compressed gas into said tubing so as to exceed the pressure in the gas chamber to move said valve to closed position and means to reduce the gas pressure in the tubing below the gas pressure in the gas chamber so that the gas pressure in the gas chamber will open said valve.

8. In a well having a ow line, a compressed gas chamber, a valve chamber, a dlerential pressure controlled valve slidable in the 'valve chamber and dividing the valve chamber into vother section and means whereby compressed a, difgas in the tubing may be reduced below the pres.

sure in the gas chamber so that the pressure in the gas chamber acting on one end of said valve will cause said valve to move to open position.

9. In a well having a iiow line, a compressed gas chamber, a valve chamber, a diierential pressure controlled valve slidable in the valve chamber and dividing the valve chamber into upper and lowersections, said valve being controlled by the pressures in the two sections, means whereby the lower of said sections communicates with the compressed gas chamber and with the interior of the flow line when said valve is opened, va-tubing extending from the surface of the ground into the `upper section, and means whereby compressed gas introduced by said tubing into the upper section may be varied above or below the pressure in the gas chamber to control the opening and closing of said valve.

l0. In a well having a ow line, a compressed 'gaspchamben a sleeve in said flow line, a valve housing adapted to be lowered into said sleeve, a differential pressure controlled valve in said housing, a tubing extending to the surface of the ground and communicating with one end of said valve, means to supply compressed gas into said tubing, the lower portionof said valve being exposed to the pressures in the compressed gas chamber, said valve being controlled by the differential in the gas pressures in the tubing and the compressed gas chamber, a passageway leading from the compressed gas chamber into the tubing and being closed by said valve when the pressure in the tubing is equal to or greater than the pressure in the compressed gas chamber, said fvalve opening when the pressure in the tubing plus thelweight of the valve is less than the pressure in the corresponding gas chamber.

11. In a well having a casing and a ow line with a compressed gas chamber between the flow j 'line and casing, a valve housing, a valve controlled by differential pressures and movable in v .s'ai'cl housing, a passageway extending from the :chamber into the ow line and communicating withthe lower portion of said valve, a tubing 'extending from one end of the valve housing to the .surface of the ground and communicating withl .the upperend of said valve, and means to lincrease the pressure in the tubing above the pressure in the gas chamber to operate said valve .to close said passageway and to decrease the pressure in the tubing below the pressure in the gas ,chamber to operate said valve to open said pas- 'sageway.

` 12. In a well having a ow line and'a compressed gas chamber, a valve housing, a valve movable therein and dividing said housing into two compartments, a passageway extending from said chamber through one of said Ycompartments land into said iiow line, a tubing extending from the other compartment to the well surface, means to introduce a gas pressure in the tubing to operate said valve to close said passageway and to Vreduce the said pressure so that the pressure ,from the chamber will operate said valve to open :said passageway.

13. In a well having a ,pressed gas chamber, a valve housing, a valve I.slidable therein and dividing .the housing into fupper and lower compartments, a passageway ex- .ftending from the said chamber` into the lower ,compartment and thence communicating with the flow line, a gas pressure tubing extending from the upper compartment to the well surface, and surface operated means to increase the pres- Ceures in the'tubing' so as to move said valve to flow line and a com` close said passageway and to reduce the said'pres-- sure so that the pressure from the chamber will operate said valve to open said passageway.

14. In a well having a ow line with a compressed gas chamber outside of said iiow line,` a valve housing, a valve slidabie therein and dividing said housingy into two compartments, a passageway leading from the compressed gas chamber into one of said compartments and extending thence into the flow line, saidvalve serving as a means to open or close said passageway and being subjected to the pressure from said chamber, a tubing extending from the well surface and communicating with the other of said compartments, means to introduce gas pressures into said tubing to operate said valve to close said passageway and to decrease the gas pressure in said tubing so as to cause the pressure from said chamber to operate said valve to open said passageway.

15. In a well having a ow line and a compressed gas chamber, a valve housing, a valve slidable therein and dividing the housing into upper and lower compartments, a passageway extending from the said chamber into the lower compartment and thence communicating with the flow line, a gas pressure tubing extending from the upper compartment to the well surface, .and surface operated means to increase the pressures in the tubing so as to move said valve to close said passageway and to reduce the said pressure so that the pressurefrom the chamber will operate said valve to open said passageway, said tubing extending through said ow line.

16. In a well having a flow line and a. compressed gas chamber, a valve housing, a valve slidable therein and dividing the housing into upper and lower compartments, a passageway extending from the said chamber into the lower compartment and thence communicating with the ow line, a gas pressure tubing extending from the upper compartment to the well surface, and time cycle surface operated means to increase the pressure in the tubing so as to move said valve toolose the passageway and `to reduce the said pressureat the end of `a time interval so Jvhat the pressure from the chamber will operate said valve to open said passageway.

17. In a well having a now line anda compressed gas chamber, a valve housing, a valve slidable therein and dividing the housing into upper and lower compartments, a passageway extending from the said chamber into `(the lower` compartment and thence communicating with the 4 iiow line, a gas pressure tubing extending from compartment and thence communicating with vthe flow line, a gas pressure tubing extending from the upper compartment to the well surface, means to introduce compressed gas into said tubing for a predetermined interval of time to actuate said valve so as to close said passageway and maintain it closed forthe said interval of time. and to, release theses in the tubing .at

conduit leading from said source through said valve mechanism to said tubing, a vent conduit extending from the two-Way valve mechanism, and means whereby the clock mechanism actuates the two-way valve mechanism to open said first-named conduit to admit compressed gas into the tubing, and after a predetermined interval of time to close said first-named conduit and open said vent conduit so as to release the com- 10 pressed gas from said tubing so that the pressure in the chamber will operate said valve to open said passageway.

RAYMOND G. TAYLOR, JR. 

